Governance

WEEE Ireland is a not for profit organisation, limited by guarantee, committed to delivering cost effective compliance on behalf of its Producer Members. The governance structures ensure the Scheme achieves its strategic goals while meeting all relevant regulatory requirements as laid out in the WEEE and Batteries Directives and Scheme Approval. Under these Directives, Producers must provide for the financing of the collection, treatment and recovery of WEEE or waste batteries arising through collection points.

5 Year Approval Granted in 2017
Confidence in our Scheme by the Minister for Environment

During 2017 WEEE Ireland was granted an approval as a WEEE and Battery Scheme for a continuing term of 5 years. The Approval requirements cement the existing framework set in place by the Board of Directors and management team since 2005. In line with corporate governance policy, WEEE Ireland operates a ‘term-of-office rotation’ system for Directors, along with controls on sector representation to support the oversight function of the Board of Directors of the Compliance Scheme. The Chairperson Declan Moylan welcomed new Directors Richard Broderick, Fergus Johnston and Johnny Dunne during 2017 to the WEEE Ireland Board, who bring significant experience and expertise from the household appliance Producer industry to the Scheme.

Company Officers’ Meetings

There were 4 meetings of Board of Directors in 2017 and the Board of Directors held an additional Strategy Meeting on May 5th. Additional ad hoc meetings were called on special topics as required throughout the year. The finance committee met on over 12 occasions. Director Michael O’Shea chaired a Sector meeting for the Battery Industry Members in October and procurement meetings were also held to support the finance committee in this area.

2017 WEEE Ireland Board of Directors

Mr Leo Donovan
Role: Director / CEO
Appointed: 2005
Company: WEEE Ireland
Board Meeting Attendance: 4/4
Finance Committee Meeting: 12/12

Mr Declan Moylan
Role: Director / Chairman 2017
Appointed: Jan 2016
Company: Independent
Representing Category: Independent
Board Meeting Attendance: 4/4

Mr Michael O'Shea
Role: Director / Vice Chairman
Appointed: June 2005
Company: Independent
Representing Category: CE, Batteries
Board Meeting Attendance: 4/4

Dr Claire Penny
Role: Director
Appointed: June 2005
Company: IBM
Representing Category: IT&T
Board Meeting Attendance: 3/4

Mr Cel O'Reilly
Role: Director
Appointed: June 2005
Company: Philips Lighting Ireland
Representing Category: SHA, LE, Batteries
Board Meeting Attendance: 4/4
Finance Committee Meeting: 10/12

Joe Cunniam
Role: Director
Appointed: May 2007
Company: Origo Ltd
Representing Category: SHA,
Tools, Batteries, SME
Board Meeting Attendance: 1/1

Mr Brian Flood
Role: Director
Appointed: June 2017
Company: Origo Ltd
Representing Category: SHA,
Tools, Batteries, SME
Board Meeting Attendance: 3/3

Mr Patrick Lynch
Role: Director
Appointed: Dec 2007
Company: Independent
Representing Category: Independent
Board Meeting Attendance: 4/4
Finance Committee Meeting: 11/12

Mr Thomas Barillot
Role: Director
Appointed: May 2015
Company: Apple
Representing Category: IT&T, CE, Batteries
Board Meeting Attendance: 3/4

Ms Niamh Laing
Role: Director
Appointed: June 2016
Company: Panasonic
Representing Category: LHA, CE, Batteries
Board Meeting Attendance: 4/4
Finance Committee Meeting: 11/12

Mr Richard Broderick
Role: Director
Appointed: June 2017
Company: KAL
Representing Category: LHA
Board Meeting Attendance: 3/3

Mr Johnny Dunne
Role: Director
Appointed: June 2017
Company: Glen Dimplex
Representing Category: SHA, Batteries, SME

Mr Fergus Johnston
Role: Director
Appointed: June 2017
Company: Whirlpool / Indesit
Representing Category: LHA
Board Meeting Attendance: 3/3

Mr David Tyrrell
Role: Director
Appointed: March 2017
Company: Independent
Representing Category: Independent
Board Meeting Attendance: 4/4

Environmental Management Revenue Structure

Environmental Management fees derived from Membership fees, Recycling Management Costs (RMC), Compliance Management Costs (CMC) and visible Environmental Management Cost’s (vEMC) are accounted for on an accruals basis.

1. Membership Fees
This comprises Members joining and annual administration fees.

2. Recycling Management Cost (RMC)
Members of WEEE Ireland are charged RMC’s for their market share of environmentally sound management of WEEE and waste batteries using weight and unit data placed on the market for EEE and Batteries

3. Compliance Management Cost (CMC)
In 2017 WEEE Ireland recognised longer-term future liabilities will arise from new technologies such as electric vehicle lithium batteries and Photovoltaic Cells (PV). CMC fees for these product types are charged to cover, at a minimum, related compliance administration. The Scheme reserves the right to charge for their recycling and recovery at end of life when they arise.

4. Visible Environmental Management Cost (vEMC)
Members are charged visible Environmental Management Cost’s (vEMC) included in the purchase of certain new appliances, shown visibly to the consumers and throughout the supply chain for the environmentally sound management of WEEE. vEMCs are published by the Producer Register Ltd. and is invoiced on units placed on the market reported to the market.

Financing Producer Responsibility

Producers fees include funding for the following aspects of the collective Scheme:

Contingency Reserve Maintenance
Historic WEEE Liability
Future WEEE liability
Battery Obligations
Awareness Raising
Collection and infrastructure
Recycling and Recovery management
Compliance Scheme administration
Contributions to the Local Authorities
Contributions to EPA enforcement and R&D funding
Retailer We’ll Take It Back programme

Contingency Reserve

To ensure Producer Responsibility Schemes in Ireland continue to meet their obligations on behalf of their Members in any unforeseen circumstances or contingent event, a fund is required to be ring fenced for this purpose and maintained. The Department has agreed that €5million held by WEEE Ireland will cover the contingency liability for both Schemes in Ireland, apportioned to their market share responsibility (which equates to 75% for the WEEE Ireland Scheme).

Historical WEEE Reserve

When the WEEE Directive was transposed into Irish legislation in 2005 it required all Producers currently in the market to finance their existing market share of the historical WEEE liability, i.e. the costs of takeback and recycling of waste appliances placed on the market prior to 2005. WEEE Ireland projected that an €80 million finance package was required to cover this liability and that it would need to be managed over an extended life cycle as the age range and span of certain older appliances would last until at least 2022. WEEE Ireland maintains a historical WEEE Reserve to finance Producer responsibility. This business plan has been agreed with the DCCAE as part of the 5-year Scheme Approval and validated by University of Limerick research1.